Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire

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Short story sale: "Crystal Halloway and the Forgotten Passage."

It's reasonably rare for me to have a short story run up, punch me in the teeth, and run away giggling to itself. On the occasions where this happens, I sort of feel like I have to write the story down, since otherwise, it might come running back and hit me again. That was the case earlier this year, with a nihilistic little piece that I kept describing as the prelude to a Vertigo comic series.* I wrote the story, I revised it, I read from it at Arisia, and now, finally, I get to announce...

"Crystal Halloway and the Forgotten Passage" has been sold to John Joseph Adams at Fantasy Magazine, to appear in one of their upcoming issues (probably still within 2011). It's the story of a girl named Crystal, and how she finds her way home after an awfully big adventure. It involves dire bats, children's book logic, wicked roses, giant spiders, and broken hearts.

I am very, very pleased with this piece, and very, very proud of it; it's the same sort of half-mad fantasy as "Lost" or "A Citizen in Childhood's Country," but it's also its own creature, wild and strange and a little bit lost in its own world. I'm totally delighted to have a story in Fantasy Magazine, which I love, but I'm even more delighted that it's this one. I feel like I'm growing as a short story author. I feel like this story proves it.

Coming soon to an internet near you!

(*Dear editors at DC: I am an internationally well-known author with a good sales record, and I love your Vertigo line. So if you want to make this the prelude to a Vertigo series, I would be a whole wide world of happy to discuss it with you. Just saying.)
Tags: good things, publishing news, short fiction
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  • 29 comments
Congratulations!

That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to reading it when it comes out! *grin*

Deleted comment

Yay. :)
Very cool!

I would read that book.

I understand that feeling of "You, yeah you. Write me now! No peace until you do!" Though it's been a lot longer than I'd like since I've felt that way.
I'm super-jazzed.
Wonderful news!!! You'll update us when you know which issue, yes?

I relish your short stories. :-)

I will!
Is this the one you read from at Wiscon? I was very much intrigued by that.

P.
I was wondering the same. I enjoyed that story!

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

Sadly, Vertigo seems to be dying. But there's always Image and IDW. I mean, isn't Joe King Hill winding down Locke and Key? They'll need a replacement.
Maybe Image then? After all, since Powers is on such a 'we'll get to it when we get to it' schedule, having something else to read would rock.

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

it's the same sort of half-mad fantasy as "Lost" or "A Citizen in Childhood's Country,"

I can't wait. I especially like your "half-mad fantasy" stories.

Excellent name, there. Always nice to meet an awesome kick butt character with your name. Except giant spiders. Eeeeeeeeeee spiders.

I named the giant spider after a friend of mine who isn't pro-spider. He's miffed.
Can we hassle Vertigo to put you on their roster? You and Bill Willingham writing for the one label. Heaven.
Hee. That would rule.
Congrats!

And yay you're doing LitCrawl, though maybe it'll be a good time for you to take a nap.

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

Congratulations!
Congrats!
Thanks!
Thank you doing your part to reverse the trend towards declining quality that magazine has been suffering from.
I'm really excited to be published by them.
Ah, my avatar* sees print at last. Definitely got to get this one!

* (As I noted previously, according to my grandmother, my British ancestors were named either Hallowell or Halloway. Would have thought nothing of that if you hadn't thrown my 1st name in there too.)
You must!